Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having a small-sized, light-weighted mechanism for fastening a stack of unit cells assembly.

Abstract: A method for activating a polymer electrolyte type fuel cell comprising at least one unit cell which is configured by including a proton conductive polymer electrolyte, an electrode layer having a catalytic activity arranged on the both faces of said polymer electrolyte membrane and a gas-supplying path is disclosed. This method comprises at least one of the step (a) of enhancing the catalytic activity of said electrode and the step (b) of giving a wetting condition to said polymer electrolyte. According to the present invention, it is possible to readily activate the fuel cell and to cause the same to demonstrate a high cell performance.

Abstract: The present invention is for facilitating a removal of water around the catalytic layers of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell and for providing a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which can prevent from drop in output performance caused by excessive wetting of electrode layers due to a long-hour operation or a large current ouputting operation. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to the present invention uses an electrode layer having a water repellent porous base area and penetration areas which are higher in water permeability than in the base area. Such base area and penetration areas are formed as by imparting water repellency unevenly on a hydrophilic pore material, for example.

Abstract: A fuel cell system has a fuel cell of solid polymer type, a rectangular parallelepiped sealing container for accommodating hydrogen occlusion alloy for occluding hydrogen to be supplied to said fuel cell, a connection portion provided in a hydrogen passage between said sealing container and said fuel cell for connecting said sealing container and said fuel cell detachably, a valve mechanism provided in said hydrogen passage for opening and shutting hydrogen gas, and a hydrogen flow rate control mechanism provided in said hydrogen passage for controlling the flow rate of hydrogen gas, and/or hydrogen pressure control mechanism for controlling the pressure of hydrogen gas.

Abstract: A face shaped molding body of first electrode/solid electrolyte/second electrode composed of first and second electrodes on both the faces of the sold electrolyte layer is adapted to impress DC valve between the first electrode and second electrode in a condition where the solid electrolyte layer is heated to a given operation temperature. Atmosphere poor in oxygen or atmosphere rich in oxygen can be formed, by a gas pump which is selectively capable of discharging or feeding at least oxygen gas from the first atmosphere to the second atmosphere, so that atmosphere suitable for food preservation can be retained or chamber wherein oxygen is likely to be poor at heating can be retained in a condition rich in oxygen. Also, oxygen gas can be exchanged for steam when necessary so that the exchange ratio can be controlled by the controlling of the electrolysis voltage. Further, atmosphere is likely to be controlled, because the transportation amount of the oxygen gas and steam can be weighed by the current amount.

Abstract: There are disclosed a catalyst material for removing carbon monoxide and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell device using the same catalyst material. This catalyst material comprises an A type zeolite carrying at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Ru, Au, Rh and Ir, or an alloy of two or more metals. The catalyst material is capable of removing carbon monoxide in a reformed gas which is fed to the fuel cell by oxidation at a low temperature with good selectivity.

Abstract: In a molten carbonate fuel cell having an anode a cathode which are both porous gas-diffusion electrodes, and an electrolyte making contact with both the electrodes, the cathode includes a metal oxide represented by the formula Li.sub.x Ni.sub.1-x O (0.05.ltoreq..times.<0.5, preferably 0.05.ltoreq..times.<0.2), and at least one of the cathode and electrolyte contains an alkaline earth metal carbonate. The disclosed cathode has a small solubility in the electrolyte of alkali metal carbonate and a long service life.

Abstract: A vehicle using hydrogen absorbing alloys includes: a plurality of hydrogen absorbing alloy storing vessels for independently storing a plurality of hydrogen absorbing alloys with a different hydrogen equilibrium decomposition pressure; a connecting section for passing hydrogen to and fro among the plurality of hydrogen absorbing alloy storing vessels; and a heating section for heating a low pressure hydrogen absorbing alloy which has the lowest hydrogen equilibrium decomposition pressure among the plurality of hydrogen absorbing alloys, using the combustion heat from fuel of an internal combustion engine or an external combustion engine of the vehicle as a heat source. Heat of reaction generated by absorption or desorption of hydrogen is utilized for heating or cooling the air in a passenger compartment or a component of the vehicle. The connecting section includes a hydrogen gas storing vessel.

Abstract: A fuel cell comprises a reformer interposed between a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode and having a preheating zone and a reforming zone in which a reforming catalyst is laid. Fuel gas introduced into the fuel is at first introduced into the preheating zone where it is preheated by heat generated during power generation.

Abstract: A vehicle using hydrogen absorbing alloys includes: a plurality of hydrogen absorbing alloy storing vessels for independently storing a plurality of hydrogen absorbing alloys with a different hydrogen equilibrium decomposition pressure; a connecting section for passing hydrogen to and fro among the plurality of hydrogen absorbing alloy storing vessels; and a heating section for heating a low pressure hydrogen absorbing alloy which has the lowest hydrogen equilibrium decomposition pressure among the plurality of hydrogen absorbing alloys, using the combustion heat from fuel of an internal combustion engine or an external combustion engine of the vehicle as a heat source. Heat of reaction generated by absorption or desorption of hydrogen is utilized for heating or cooling the air in a passenger compartment or a component of the vehicle. The connecting section includes a hydrogen gas storing vessel.

Abstract: A molten carbonate fuel cell includes unit cells and separator plates stacked alternately, with each unit cell having an anode of porous nickel-base alloy, a cathode of porous nickel-oxide doped with lithium, and an electrolyte plate including a eutectic mixture of a carbonate of alkaline metals disposed between the anode and cathode. The separator plate is a heat-resistant metal plate. The anode of porous nickel-base alloy contains 1 to 10 weight % of at least one of molybdenum and tungsten, resulting in less deterioration after a long operation.

Abstract: There is provided an internal reforming type molten carbonate fuel cell comprising unit cells, bipolar plates and plate-like reformer each having the same peripheral shape and being stacked to form a cell stack which is penetrated by an inside manifold for supplying the raw fuel, exhausting the reacted gas, etc., wherein the plate-like reformer is provided with props and reforming catalyst so arranged that uniform temperature distribution in the cell, reduced IR loss in operation, and long life were obtained.